“We went to a matchup zone on Deemer at the high post,” Mount Ayr coach Bret Ruggles said. “We were fronting him and pinching as much as we could. Another big key for us was in the first game Jackson Carr had 25 for them. Tonight he had eight. Braydee Poore locked him down.”

With Jacob Sobotka back in the Raider lineup recovered from a football ankle injury, the athletic Poore can use his height at the top of the Raider zone defense to close out on shooters, Ruggles noted.

The Raiders were tough down the stretch. The game was tied 36-36 with three minutes left. Carr hit a free throw to put Lamoni ahead by one, but Poore answered at the line with one make. Poore’s basket lifted the Raiders in front, 39-37, and a free throw made it 40-37.

The Raiders were able to build a four-point lead (44-40) when Lamoni took possesion with only :01 left, unable to tie as the Raider defense laid off to prevent a foul call.

Murray beat the Raiders 64-50 in the first game of the season. Ruggles said his team has improved, and is aided by the return of Sobotka inside.

“I like our matchup with Murray,” Ruggles said. “Murray vs. Mount Ayr in a district final, there have been some wild ones. It should be fun.”